The 10th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!!!!!

[ronott1]

Day 10. Just pulled 3 out of 17 eggs. 1 infertile, 1 early quitter, and 1 the aircell was on the side so the embryo attached to the shell right at the top. The good news is I've got 14 Marans eggs looking strong with verified movement in them! I probably won't check them again until lockdown.

Nice update!

There are still plenty of eggs to hatch

 

[jolenesdad]

I went ahead and weighed my favorites today. Most of my eggs are right on target with 6-7% weight loss. A few minor outliers.

I have half my marans eggs that have lost a lot. Like 9-10%. I expected them to maybe have lost LESS, not more, than my Legbar eggs.

I can’t see the air cell to judge. I’ll try tonight with a new light.

Already approaching 10% loss halfway through, is there anything to do to save these guys? I’ve got a styrofoam incubator I could try and put them in with higher humidity if that’s all that is going on....

 

[pennyJo1960]

crud may be normal is everyone else sleeping I would not think to use higher humidity
but maintain a day or so weigh again

 

[jolenesdad]

I’m thinking I’ll try and get some idea of the actual air sacks tonight and then make a plan.

What’s the best marker to use on marans eggs to mark the air sack? In case I can’t get a photo I bet I can see enough to mark them and take a photo then.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I went ahead and weighed my favorites today. Most of my eggs are right on target with 6-7% weight loss. A few minor outliers.

I have half my marans eggs that have lost a lot. Like 9-10%. I expected them to maybe have lost LESS, not more, than my Legbar eggs.

I can’t see the air cell to judge. I’ll try tonight with a new light.

Already approaching 10% loss halfway through, is there anything to do to save these guys? I’ve got a styrofoam incubator I could try and put them in with higher humidity if that’s all that is going on....

I wish I had an answer for you. Weighing eggs just drove me nuts. I've since found monitoring air cells just as accurate and much less stress.

Edit: I use a dark Sharpie on Marans eggs.

 

[jolenesdad]

I need all these birds to hatch like I need another hole in my head, so I’m going to chalk it up to a learning experience and keep going as is without too many changes for any specific egg.

But I still would like to know anyone’s thoughts on why that may be...

 

[pennyJo1960]

laundry pencil comes to mind in white akin to a grease pencil

 

[ronott1]

I need all these birds to hatch like I need another hole in my head, so I’m going to chalk it up to a learning experience and keep going as is without too many changes for any specific egg.

But I still would like to know anyone’s thoughts on why that may be...

Adjust the humidity to match the weight loss. I do not go below 35% or over 55% though.

Below 25% is a zone of bad hatches-- even death for incubation.

Raise the humidity a bit if within the safe range and see what the weight loss goes to

 

[MagpieDucks]

I’m thinking I’ll try and get some idea of the actual air sacks tonight and then make a plan.

What’s the best marker to use on marans eggs to mark the air sack? In case I can’t get a photo I bet I can see enough to mark them and take a photo then.

I use a black sharpie

 

[pennyJo1960]

can you seed that on Marans ?